The Knock After
by QuirkySmile
Summary: Merlin finds it a trouble to sleep because thoughts of Morgana won't stop dancing through his mind. Morgana fairs no better as she can't sleep because she seems to be drowning in the blue sea that is Merlin.  One-Shot Mergana, No Slash!  re-posted


**This takes place after the season 1 episode that introduces Mordred. My sister and I were fawning over the way Merlin would knock on Morgana's**** door and whisper "It's Merlin." It sends shivers down my spine, just the way he said it was so...I'm not even sure what the correct word to describe how he said it would be. ~Quirk**

**Okay, I'm rating this K+, but it could probably be K...but I'm just gonna be safe.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Merlin and Morgana, or the TV which is titled _Merlin_. I wouldn't mind owning Bradley James. No? Well, one can always dream.**

**(edit: I fixed the spelling errors from when I first posted this, they were starting to bother me...a lot)**

* * *

><p>Merlin was happy. Honestly, he was. Why shouldn't he be happy? He had just saved the Druid boy from death. Yes, the Dragon was extremely angry with him for this, but it was the right thing to do. Merlin's conscience never would have forgiven him if he'd let the child die. The guilt would have crippled his mind to certain insanity. Yes, he'd done the right thing in removing the metal grate and helping Arthur and the child flee to safety. Having the child put back with the safety of his people made Morgana happy.<p>

That was why he did it. Morgana's happiness made the whole ordeal, the consequences now-and anything the future might bring, worthwhile.

The young warlock contemplated all of this as he stared up at the ceiling. He was lying on his bed, not even trying to sleep even though it was well into the night-one of the most trying nights of his life. It was probably closer to morning than night, anyway. His mind was filled with the thought of the Lady Morgana: her eyes, her smile; the way she laughed, the way she said his name. It drove him insane; he only wanted to see her face, see her face and nothing more for the rest of his life. That would be a perfect world.

Merlin sighed and rolled over onto his side and curled up into a ball. It was pointless to pine for her so. She was the King's ward! She would never fall in love with a servant, much less a servant like Merlin. He was incompetent, he couldn't do anything right, he was constantly making mistakes and ending up in the stocks. The last one wasn't completely true. More often than not he was in the stocks because of something he had done to help Arthur.

He rolled back onto his back and resumed his thoughts of Morgana. His Morgana.

***~QuirkySmile~***

Morgana paced back and forth along the length of her bedchambers. She hadn't bothered to change out of the dress she had worn to dine with Uther that night, or would it more rightfully be called _yesterday_ night? She couldn't explain the ache in her stomach. Arthur had already returned and told her that the boy, who he found out was named Mordred, was safely returned to his people. She had expected to feel relief at these words, but the butterflies remained. It wasn't caused by sickness, of this she was certain. It scared her that she could think of only one thing; one person.

Merlin.

Merlin. She couldn't get his face out of her head. She couldn't stop hearing his voice saying her name. She couldn't get the picture of his blue eyes erased from her mind. It was as if Merlin's image had been permanently branded onto her brain.

Morgana bit her lower lip. These feelings were wrong-completely nonsensical! It-he-was only Merlin. Arthur's servant, he wasn't anyone special. In light of recent events, she might consider him a friend, an ally. He didn't have a title, or any amount of riches that made him standout. But, if this was the truth, if he really wasn't anyone special, why was he infiltrating her thoughts? Why, no matter how hard she tried, could she not stop the butterflies that fluttered within her stomach whenever she thought his name?

***~QuirkySmile~***

Merlin gave up on sleep before the sun rose. He got dressed, and tied his neckerchief about his neck. He slung his leather satchel over his shoulder and exited the room-being as quiet as he could so as not to wake the sleeping Gaius.

He walked through the town, the only light being the slight gray-ness of predawn. He could smell the fresh baked goods coming from the different shops as they got ready for the morning rush of customers. He decided to buy a sticky bun as he traveled to his destination: Arthur's bedchamber.

He ate the sticky bun and smiled-it smelled sweet, just like Morgana did. Merlin sighed, he had almost gone a full five minutes not thinking about her. Now that the thought of her was back, it wasn't going to leave again for some time.

It was unconsciously done, for his fully intended destination _had_ been Arthur's room, but when he looked up he found himself standing in front of Lady Morgana's door. It startled Merlin. He bit his lower lip in deliberation: should he, or should he not make the pivotal move and place a knock on the door? He shifted his eyes around and raised his hand…

***~QuirkySmile~***

Morgana threw her hands up in the air. Merlin was even worse that the nightmares that plagued her mind and caused her to suffer every night. At least with those she had managed to obtain a few hours of sleep, she hadn't gotten a single wink in last night. She hadn't even _tried _to obtain that wink; she knew that her efforts would have been futile.

She still remained in her dinner gown, Gwen had tried to help her out of it yesterday, but Morgana had refused. Same went with her hair. Now, Morgana regretted that decision. She could feel every pin scraping against her scalp, and a major headache was beginning to form from the weight of the hairstyle. She sat down on her chair and began to mindlessly undo the complex design.

Merlin. The thought of him could not escape her mind for long. She smiled, never had the mere thought of a person's name sent her into such a stupor.

She looked in the mirror when she had completed the undoing of her hair, it was a complete mess. She laughed aloud. It didn't matter, though. She would have Gwen fix it in the morning. It was at that moment that a sudden burst of light shone through her window and blinded her. Looking to her window she saw that it was already morning; Merlin truly had kept her awake the entire night.

She walked over to the window and threw the panes open and rested her elbows on the frame; looking at the sunrise, hearing the bustle of the early morning activity taking place below her, thinking of Merlin.

She was completely lost in these thoughts until a knock at her door brought her back to earth, back to Camelot, took her away from the sea of blue she had previously been swimming in. Morgana reasoned that it must be Gwen at the door, and when she opened it she said,

"Gwen, you know that you don't have to knock…" Her heart stopped when she saw Merlin standing before her. It took what felt like hours, but was only seconds, for her heart to begin beating again, and once it started it didn't stop; it kept getting faster and faster. It was a few moments before she found her voice and said,

"Merlin, what are you doing here? I hadn't expected you to come knocking at my door anymore now that the boy is gone." Morgana continued to say words, but not even she knew what they were. They began to fade away as she started to fall into the sea of blue that she had thought of earlier, but was now standing before her.

***~QuirkySmile~***

Merlin saw her mouth moving, but could not hear what she said. He felt the adrenaline that had given him the courage to place the knock beginning to leave his system. His hands began to feel clammy; he began to doubt his actions.

He'd come this far, he wasn't going to turn back now. He saw her mouth stop moving, and then he took notice of her hair. It stuck out in every direction, it looked fuzzy it some places, and he saw a forgotten pin or two still entangled into some of the locks. He'd never seen her look more beautiful.

"Merlin?" It must've been the multiple-eth time she'd said his name, because Morgana had a worried look in her eyes and tone.

""I can't stop." He began. Then the words began to flow from his mouth like a stream. "I can't stop thinking about you. All night you've been the one thing on my mind. Sleeping was impossible, Morgana. You've turned my legs to jelly! Every time I close my eyes it's your face I see. I can't stop imagining what it would be like to be with you.

"I know I sound crazy, but I can't help the way I feel, and you must feel something, too. There is no way that I can harbor this much emotion and have the other person not feel it as well. So, tell me now, Morgana, tell me if you feel anything for me." He was breathless by the end of his speech. He looked with hope and longing into Morgana's eyes as he awaited her reply.

***~QuirkySmile~***

Morgana's face held shock. This had not been what she was expecting when she'd answered the knock on her door. She felt so happy that she could soar into the sky and never return to earth. She was so happy that she couldn't find any words to do justice to what she felt.

Merlin's head dropped and she heard him mumble the words, "I'm sorry," As he began to walk away.

Morgana's heart fell to the floor.

"Merlin, Wait! Where are you going?" She called running after him. She caught him by the arm and he spun around to face her.

"It's okay, Morgana, I understand. You don't feel the same way." Merlin said in a voice that sounded like he was trying to be uncaring, but failing miserably.

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to. Your silence spoke volumes." He began to walk away again.

"Merlin, _you_ have been on _my_ mind all night. Sleep has evaded me because of the giddiness you've planted in my stomach. I can't look at you without having my breath taken away, without getting completely lost in your eyes. I can't stop thinking about you."

***~QuirkySmile~***

Merlin's heart leaped out of his chest. She said she felt the same way!

He saw her glance at his lips, and he took that as an invitation. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, and leaned down to close the gap between them. It was a simple kiss, but it was the most perfect feeling that he'd ever felt in his life.

He was so happy that he had taken the chance, that he'd had the guts to make the knock after.


End file.
